Examples of my work
by Nathalie Clarke
As Founder and Artistic Director of This New Ground I am responsible for designing and delivering a range of exchange initiatives, centred around the core collective of 16 adults with learning disabilities and delivered through strategic partnerships with arts venues and organisations in and around West London. Most recently, This New Ground Collective have been collaborating with Spare Tyre to create a new piece of theatre, ‘The Moving Play’, which will be performed at Bush Theatre at the end of November.
Statement by TNG Collective about ‘The Moving Play’
“We have been exploring the stories we want to tell and finding different ways to tell them. ‘The Moving Play’ explores themes like hiding, moving, relationships, love, secrets and revealing our inner most thoughts and feelings. During the show we will share with you these thoughts, feelings and stories. Alongside the short performance you will be able to watch, listen and read about how we made ‘The Moving Play’.”
I have been instrumental in creating the conditions for collaboration between the Collective members, Spare Tyre and Bush Theatre and have overseen the creative journey of the Collective from seed to performance. Please scroll the photos below. These photos were taken during the development process of ‘The Moving Play’.
As part of This New Ground’s community programme I run a weekly choir at Bishop Creighton House in Fulham promoting the power and talents of people with learning disabilities. The Magic Sparks choir's community grown rendition of Stand By Me was a project I led, bringing together the choir participants and the local artistic community. This project was done in Partnership with the Lyric Hammersmith and The Rhythm Studio.
As part of my Masters in Inclusive Arts Practice at the University of Brighton, I undertook arts based research in partnership with LAMDA exploring what can be learnt from an integrated exchange between performers with learning disabilities and recent drama school graduates, and how it can influence approaches to professional actor training. Please see my research poster below alternatively you can download here.
